US Sentences FIFA Chief To Four Years Imprisonment

US Sentences FIFA Chief Jose Maria Marin To Four Years Imprisonment
The former Brazil Football Federation president José Maria Marin has been sentenced to four years in prison by a United States federal court following his conviction for corruption.
The 86-year-old, who was one of seven Fifa officials arrested at a hotel in Zurich in May 2015, was convicted of accepting bribes from sports marketing companies in exchange for contracts to broadcast tournaments such as the Copa America.
Following a six-week trial Marin was found guilty in December 2017 on six of the seven counts against him of money laundering, wire fraud and conspiratorial racketeering.

The sentencing took place in Brooklyn, New York, by US District Judge Pamela Chen.
Marin, who has already served 13 months in prison, was also ordered to forfeit $3.3m (£2.6m) and was fined $1.2m (£950,000).
The Brazilian is the first official to be sentenced following the US Department of Justice investigation into corruption at football’s world governing body.
Speaking after the ruling, Richard Donoghue, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said:

“Today’s sentence shows that for all their power and prestige, the soccer officials who corrupted ‘the beautiful game’ are not above the law.”

He was convicted alongside Juan Angel Napout, who led South America’s football governing body Conmebol. He will be sentenced at a later date.
Marin’s lawyers say he will appeal against the sentence.